LOS ANGELES–Stephanie Galloway will become the next Valley InterCommunity Council (VIC) President/CEO on August 1. VIC Board Chair, Dr. Patrick Nichelson, announced Galloway will succeed Beverly Ventriss, who is departing on July 31 after serving VIC for ten years as its President and Chief Executive Officer. Galloway is currently the Center Director at two VIC Senior Centers. “Ms. Galloway will bring her experience and education in social services and mental health to further advance VIC’s trajectory in improving the lives of older adults in the Greater San Fernando Valley,” said Nichelson.
“The VIC Board, Valley community, and I are extremely grateful for the vision, guidance and accomplishments Beverly Ventriss and her team have achieved during her ten years with VIC, which included time during the pandemic. She will be missed. We wish Beverly the very best in her next chapter,” added Nichelson.
Highlights of Ventriss’ time with VIC, according to Nichelson, include serving as VIC’s Board Chair and in other leadership roles, a deep commitment to serving others, experience working with those of diverse ethnicities and racial backgrounds, enabling a positive work environment; creating and developing ideas to increase VIC’s effectiveness; growing community partnerships and collaborations and strengthening relationships with government and business entities. Ventriss’ leadership provided stability for employees and clients during the pandemic. With Senior Centers closed, Ventriss partnered with the City of Los Angeles Department of Aging and State to deliver meals to isolated seniors. To offset isolation and loneliness, she created the Take a Moment to Give a Moment Initiative, whereby a driver could spend extra time when delivering meals. The Initiative was inspired by an Army veteran who lived alone and who persuaded his driver to pause each morning so he could play his harmonica for him.
“The impact of connecting with someone, if only for a few minutes so Sgt. Murphy could play his harmonica, was so meaningful. VIC has continued with the program, said Ventriss. “For those living alone, connecting for even five minutes can be hugely important. It doesn’t take an hour-long visit for it to be meaningful.”
Working together with partners, VIC delivered 1.7 million meals from March 2020 through 2022 to socially isolated and lonely seniors. The U.S. Surgeon General has cited loneliness in our society as an epidemic. VIC is a member of the Social Isolation and Impact Coalition created in 2017. During the pandemic VIC created a Phone Buddy program to communicate with isolated seniors.
Continuing in strategic positioning for the future, VIC is partnering with the National Health Foundation to provide meals and activities to unhoused individuals released from hospitals who will be receiving needed health and wellness care in a facility soon to open in Arleta. It will house 148 individuals with the goal of eventually moving them into permanent housing.
Nichelson cites Ventriss as a tireless, generous humanist who is extremely bright and funny.
Background
VIC started 60 years ago over a fair housing issue in the San Fernando Valley. Today, VIC provides three meal programs and an array of health, educational, and wellness programs through its Senior Centers in Pacoima, Van Nuys and Sherman Oaks. VIC also operates 12 satellite Dining Centers, and has expanded intergenerational programming. VIC has received many awards over the years for improving the lives of older adults, families, and youth, including recognition as a 2020 California Nonprofit of the Year.
The Greater San Fernando Valley Chamber of Commerce gave VIC a 2023 Sibbies Award for Outstanding Work in the Community and a 2024 Woman of Impact Award to Ventriss for her work to enrich the lives of older adults and strengthen underserved communities in the Valley. Ventriss has over 20 years of experience working in social services. She graduated magna cum laude from UCLA, a Phi Beta Kappa nominee, and received her M.A. from the USC Annenberg School of Communication and Journalism. Ventriss has worked in entertainment television and produced a local public affairs cable and radio program focusing on older adults. Previously, she worked for an international trade and research organization and lived in Japan.
Annual program stats: 284,000 meals served and 40,000 Transportation rides.
Website: www.vic-la.org
Contact: Dr. Patrick Nichelson, Professor Emeritus, Religious Studies
– Phone: 310.383.2303
Published by: Nelly Chavez
